Leading a team of people is hard work, but you want to do it right. Instead of being a boss that employees fear and avoid, you strive to be someone they enjoy working for.
Building a positive relationship with your team is essential for so many reasons. People work harder when they have a boss they admire. Not only that, mutual respect makes both your life and theirs more pleasant. Here’s how to set the foundation for success.
Find Out Where Their Priorities Lie
It’s easy to assume you know what’s most important to an employee, but you aren’t a mind reader. You can guess, and hope you get it right, or just sit down with each person and ask. Find out their career goals, preferred communication style and how they like to receive feedback, so you can better relate. Most managers don’t take the time to do this, so it’s bound to make your employees feel special.
Practice Active Listening
Talk is cheap unless you’re really listening. Employees want to be heard, so engage them in meaningful conversation. Scratch the surface by asking information-seeking questions, and really listen to what they have to say. Put your smartphone or laptop away and give the discussion your undivided attention. You’ll probably walk away from the meeting with action items, and if so, make it a priority to circle back in a timely manner.
Give Them Your Trust
No one likes a micromanager. Show employees they have your confidence by giving them the freedom to complete assignments on their own terms. Taking a hands-off approach makes it clear that you trust them to do great work on their own. If they don’t deliver, you’ll have to tighten the reins, but give them the benefit of the doubt first.
Display Kindness and Compassion
Your employees are fantastic workers, but they’re people first, so, treat them like human beings. This might mean allowing someone to leave work early to care for a sick child or cutting a normally outstanding employee some slack when they’re going through personal issues. Having a boss who truly cares is special, so employees will return the favor with hard work and loyalty.
Finding the best person for the job is hard work, so allow PrideStaff Northern Kentucky to lead your search. Whether you need to fill a temporary, temp-to-hire or direct hire role, we’re here to help you find the right fit for your Boone, Kenton or Campbell County company. Contact us today to find out what we can do for your team!
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